Church must regulate itself

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The Church should never be regulated by government. The knee-jerk reaction by some clergymen and some citizens – arising from the horrific nature of the bloodbath that took place at the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries, on October 17, while expected, needs to be tempered.

The past and present existence of cults ought not to justify giving the government the power to decide who pastors a church and whether an entity meets the criteria, or not, to be called a church. The Church is the only body that ought to have the power to oversee and/or regulate itself. Why? Because, if the Government of Jamaica gains such a stronghold over the Church, the consequences could prove dire and will leave current and future churches open to manipulation, over-reach, selective punishment and special treatment. A healthy separation between Church and State should continue to be preserved.

Scammers will, always emerge in every sphere of society but there are already Jamaican laws on the books to deal with such persons.

The Church should establish an oversight regulatory body comprised of pastors and priests from a wide denominational cross-section that will facilitate valid congregant complaints; investigate and intervene, if/ when it deems necessary, based upon complaints it receives; publicise church bodies that refuse to have their books examined; formulate a basic criteria for persons who lead, or wish to lead, church bodies; report to law enforcement agencies, if/when an illegal practice, or practices, of church/cult leaders, emerge(s).

Last, the Church, despite scammers, cult leaders and crooks using it to facilitate their nefarious schemes and goals, is still Jamaica’s most respected, revered and irreplaceable social institution, in my opinion. PATRICK GALLIMORE pagalley@protonmail.com